Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: Crow
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Snakes had already surrounded them on all sides, slithering and circling restlessly. The knights encircled Lena and Iura, on guard against the encroaching wraiths.
‘These aren’t ordinary wraiths.’
Lena was certain from their movements. Normal wraiths didn’t move so systematically. There had to be a separate leader.
‘Which side is it?’
Was it the King with Many Hearts commanding them directly? Or were they wraiths summoned and controlled by the heretics? As Lena scrutinized the snakes,
“Stand aside.”
Iura drew his sword and ordered the knights blocking his path. The knights hastily turned their horses, and Iura unleashed a resolute slash through the opening. Ping! With the sound of air tearing, the slash flew toward the snakes. Almost simultaneously, a rustling sound followed as grass blades snapped and a thick tree trunk toppled. But none of the severed things were wraiths, and Iura’s firm brow furrowed at the sight.
‘Did they dodge?’
No, they had read it. Whether due to intelligence or not, the clustered snakes scattered the moment Iura stepped forward, vanishing into trees and bushes. As the snakes climbed the trees, the knights reflexively looked up. The dense canopy blocked the sky like a ceiling. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before the swarm poured down from above.
“Foolish notion.”
Iura clicked his tongue and held his sword horizontally. Then, with the momentum to bisect the world, he unleashed another slash. This time, there was no sound at all. Just as he thought a breeze had stirred, all the trees in front of him—save behind his back—were sliced clean. Branches rustled as trees crashed down with heavy thuds. The hidden snakes finally revealed themselves. Deprived of cover, they tangled chaotically like a swarm of rats. Soon, they merged into several large snakes that lunged at Iura in one breath.
“Your Highness!”
The snakes, coiled like vines, bit at Iura’s horse. His black steed reared on its forelegs and bucked wildly, and Iura vaulted from the saddle before they could devour it. Even before Iura could touch down, the snakes surged again. Kneeling on the ground, Iura glared at their gaping red maws. Then he sliced through the oncoming horde entirely. Neither the knights nor even Lena had a chance to intervene.
‘That man... he’s strong.’
Lena was honestly impressed. Though he possessed an Authority like Rubid’s, their prowess wasn’t even comparable. Unlike Rubid, who masked his meager skills with his character, Iura had the strength befitting his position and responsibilities.
“Search the surroundings.”
After butchering the snakes, Iura shook black blood from his blade and spoke. Lena felt a fleeting unease as she watched the dead snakes give off a thick mist.
‘Did I hear a sound when the snakes died?’
If they were wraiths summoned by heretics, the shock of death would have transmitted to their summoner. But during their deaths, no screams or cries echoed. So, were these the snake king’s wraiths rather than the heretics’? Yet the arrow marks earlier were signs of human presence. As Lena pondered the unclear situation,
Iura, sheathing his sword, sensed an unfamiliar presence and stared into the hazy mist. In that instant, something large and black lunged from the fog that blanketed everything in white. It was incredibly fast. A mere flash, and blood spurted from Iura’s shoulder.
“Urk!”
Iura gritted his teeth and swung his sword. The incomplete slash made the attacker step back. But only for a moment—the thing charged again through the dispersing mist. Kaang! A sharp metallic clang rang out. The fog gradually cleared, revealing the form of what had assaulted Iura.
“Crow...!”
At Iura’s shout, the figure in the crow mask smiled faintly. Kkigigik. Iura’s sword grated against the crow’s dagger, shrieking. Unlike the elegantly smiling crow, Iura’s face twisted further. The shoulder wound hindered him.
“Step back.”
It was then. With a calm voice from behind Iura, Lena surged forward. She swung her sword, carving a great gash across the crow’s body. Black feathers poured from the crow’s form. But that was all—no sensation of striking flesh. The crow that had pressed Iura retreated a step and tilted its head toward Lena. In that gap, Lena hurriedly examined the crow. Crow. Ruler of the West. Enemy of the Empire. Unlike Iura and the Northern knights, this was Lena’s first encounter with the bizarre entity. And from the first impression alone, she understood its infamous reputation. A clownish figure wearing a crow mask and padded with feathers. Jet black overall, yet the jaw below the beak—painted white as snow. And for some perverse taste, the lips at its center were a terrifying red. The unusually massive build seemed masculine, the heavily painted lips feminine, but the smile directed at her was neither. This grotesque being lorded over the western borderlands, mocking the North and sparking constant clashes. He was the Crow.
Finishing her observation, Lena calmly pursued the Crow. Her sword clashed with the Crow’s dagger several times. But each clash produced only a light ting, like clinking teacups.
‘What is this?’
Lena felt like she was fighting an illusion. The cumbersome feathers made it impossible to read movements, blocking her thrusts one after another. So Lena spun like a dancer, slipping inside the Crow’s guard. Embraced casually in the enemy’s arms, she slashed down at the Crow’s forearm. Or tried to. Chaeng. Another light clink, and her attack was futilely parried.
‘Reading my movements?’
As Lena glared sharply at the Crow, its lips curved into a long arc. The Crow chuckled deeply and shoved Lena back. Then it leaped away, scattering something from its bosom. It was a fine powder, like flour.
‘Poison?’
Lena covered her mouth and retreated hastily. In that gap, the Crow snapped its fingers lightly. Click—like flint striking—and a spark flew. Flame engulfed the scattered dust and the sulfur-scented wraith corpses. A dust explosion.
“Ugh!”
Lena shielded her face from the sudden blaze. Boom! Pop! Explosions rang out repeatedly. When she came to her senses, her vision was a sea of fire.
‘The Crow?’
Lena frantically searched for the Crow. But all around was crimson flame; the black, grotesque figure was gone.
***
The fierce blaze prevented the search party from advancing further. In the end, they returned to the fortress after just a few hours. Iura’s injury wasn’t severe. Long but shallow, it would heal enough in days for no hindrance to movement. As the military surgeon stitched the wound, Iura asked a knight.
“Is the fire contained?”
“The soldiers are hauling river water, but it doesn’t seem it’ll be extinguished easily. They’re felling trees to prevent spread.”
As the knight said, the flames raged fiercely and refused to die. It was early spring still. The already dry West was especially prone to fire now. Amid that, the Crow’s blaze had used fallen autumn leaves and pre-saprise branches as kindling, spreading wide and forming a massive wall of fire across the forest. Iura frowned, recalling the forest encounter. He had glimpsed the Crow from afar while monitoring the West, commanding wraiths. But facing it directly was a first. The wary Crow had shown itself. Why?
‘We tried entering the forest depths, so it blocked us.’
Moreover, the arrow marks on the trees. A forest inaccessible due to prowling wraiths, yet bearing human traces? Arrows, no less. Arrows couldn’t harm pain-immune wraiths. The most likely hypothesis was one.
‘Hunting.’
Yes, hunting. Shooting bows at birds or rabbits in the forest. If heretics were procuring food that way without detection until now...
As Iura weighed possibilities,
“Your Highness!”
The knight guarding the door entered and reported urgently.
“A unit suppressing the fire was attacked by the Crow!”
At the sudden news, Iura’s eyes widened.
“Prince Rubid countered but retreated under assault from the Crow with hordes of wraiths.”
“Casualties?”
“We’re tallying the injured. No fatalities or missing reported. His Highness the Prince is also lightly wounded.”
At the fresh report, Iura’s eyes narrowed. The Crow reappearing, acting as gatekeeper of that forest. It meant one thing.
‘The Crow’s base is in that forest.’
Iura was convinced.
***
At the same time, Lena was alone in her room. The Crow she’d lost to the flames lingered in her mind. That massive frame, swift movements, and...
“Lady Lena, are you inside?”
The call from outside snapped her from reverie. Opening the door, she found Eastern knights waiting. They bowed as she emerged.
“What brings you all...?”
“We have something to deliver.”
At the unexpected words, Lena tilted her head, and in that moment, the knight proffered a box.
“We found it while sorting Prince Rig-nan’s belongings.”
It was a velvet box slightly larger than a man’s palm.
“It seems purchased outside before hearing of the West’s news, so we thought it best to bring it to you.”
Amid the knight’s lengthy explanation, Lena puzzledly accepted and opened the box. She instantly understood their words and fell silent. Inside was a ribbon adorned with jewels, similar to Lena’s usual hair accessory.
“His Highness would buy such a thing for only one reason...”
As the knight elaborated, Lena stared blankly at it.
“Lady?”
When Lena remained wordless for long, the knight cautiously called. She came to belatedly, closed the box, and smiled brightly at them.
“Thank you for bringing it.”
At her composed reply, the knights hesitated, gauging her. Her reaction fell short of expectations. But they couldn’t very well ask the Proxy of the Southern Duke if she wasn’t saddened, so they bowed and departed. Lena, smiling prettily until they left, shut the door and wiped the smile away. She leaned against it briefly. A slow breath escaped her parted lips. She tried steadying her heart with deep breaths, but it didn’t work. So Lena tossed the box onto the table like discarding it and crawled into bed. Her feelings were tangled. The churning in her heart felt unpleasant. Suddenly, exasperation washed over her. Why did everyone pass gifts through others’ hands? She felt a spark of anger. So Lena curled up in bed and recited poetry. But even the verses she loved so dearly failed to comfort her this time.